Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-01-29
BY EMPRESS.

seh The twilight, looming CHASTITY In
nnowy shrouds against the paiing gray /
- murky horizon. Tall pines shadow |
n = graceful grandeur the moist and slip |
q the dark ravines, through which |
u1no The vagrant waters of the storm that
G5ngod Through the night Absolute soil
o-evsn the wind has ceased Its monoton-
~ sequicm, exhausted by Its mad efforts in
W. hour Of darkness. The air grows colder.
mownaks flutters down through the un.
1eatn half light, besitatlng an instant, a. II
kUIGling against a manifest destiny, and
- falls beiplessly, hopelessly, into the
1low, watery mud Of the torn and gullied
~untain road, TO be absorbed with impnnity
- Lost forever. Under the silent boughs
81 great pine, watching the gathering llgh'
- east--a man--the only living creature
He In this sad, gloomy picture mask
- his features, and In bis hands, cockeu
= II Heady for instant use, he holds douple
n3olod shotgun.
NJ wonder where l will he this time TO-
noerow p, Most men soliloquize when
<1one, and this man simply obeyed natural
2 RpulD0 In utteriug his thoughts aloud. Inc
HGo6nd Of his voice seemed to relieve the
K fs11onotony. al won't be here, that's GER
4. 11n,1 be continued. al know where l
& {RlRk IN be, but It's mighty long distance,
#Ghd the trails through the woods I've got
!. 1hroe chances at the outcome-safety bolts,
tosA and strong walls, Or"
:s The musical jingling OF spurs, and the ir-
N40gular slap-dasb of horses hoots trotting
Z 1&rough the mud, interrupted the vague
3 npoculatiops OF the man and caused him TO
draw closer into the shadow. The horsenan
0aased. As the jingling OF spurs and splut-
GDr OF hoofs died away over the hill, the man
+ emerged from the shadow and looked down
ne road. He listened, his form slightly
r. nont was outlined against the dawn light,
olnister silhouette, only half human, II the
3 tmaginRtion were to seek resemblance
I hetween the motionless form in this attitude
nnd bird OF prey. Suddenly the listener
y started back once more. The movement was
oGile and cat-like; firm, determined, desper-
q ~ A singular melody of SOUND Hoateu
' through the still Rir--the creaking OF wheels
4. Ne rnttiipg OF harness, the constant cracking
Z a. whip, the constant splsshing OF horses
hoof and the hoarse cries OF q man urging
4 spirited team to renew exertions Nearer
3 md nearer came the discordant noises The
man In the shadow of the pine grew more
figid and more alert His fingers sought
the trigger of his gun, and his thumb
\ pressed more firmly over the hammers
HIS neck was stretched forth like the neck oil
the condor rs 1t watches herdsmen ON the
plains below.
a0it along there What's the matter
With ye, Blaze? ------ these roads" and the
q ak1ver threw "the silk into the OIL leader at
4 - rate OF twenty cracks a minute. The four
mnslangs plunged furiously and the stage
a Geoaked amazingly, the harness strainins
With the spasmodic efforts of the horses to
ding the heavily laden vehicle up the grade
Hold on, there, Baldy J"
4 IL was the man in the shadow who spoke
The horses swerved to the right and almost
Y overturned the stage. The driver, however,
b had presence OF mind and was sktilful he
dragged the leaders trembling with fright
I back into the road and turned his attention
= to the man with the shotgun.
lf Moist morning." the latter remarked, in
somewhat Sympathetic tone.
Purity wet" the driver replied.
Roads bad 7'' inquired the man, throw.
ing his gun into the hollow OF his arm, SO
that the muzzle bore directly, though sppar.
emily unintentlonally upon the door Of the
stage. from the interior Of which head had
been suddenly projected when the stage
stopped, and which was as suddenly with.
Y drawn when a certain instructive curiosity
4 had been satisfied in the twin depths OF the
gun barrels.
GPurty bad, stranger-irom the CrImes
X house down" said the driver Anything |
y ken do fur ye2 l don't mind swsppin a lie
< or two 'ith oP friends when | meet 'ein,
VI but We see Pm leeile behind time this
monin' an i haven't got much leeway OF
Y pm goin' to git into Stockton afors night"
That's so, Badly, OF man," replied the
man, familiarly, "and you needn't put your.
self out on my account Just chuck down
that box OF mine, and we will call 1t square, "
..Which box q"
"That one under your seat there-ips
marked Wells, Fargo an Co I'm Fargo"
"oh, you're Fargo, ell |' said Badly, sinu.
y lating a renewed interest in the al venture.
Well, declare, thought met you store,
and I'll be - OF | could place ye HOS's
the family, Fargo"
"First rate, Badly"
"Op woman as spry as over, l s'poss"'
Its "N6ver felt better in her life"
"Kids all hunkidOri, eh ?''
"You bet Call around aud see us, Baldy
when you get chance Mrs Fargo'd bo de
lighted TO see you, old man."
u. x..aIl NJ
E31sAs norSofbu1 o y-s s=-<Ts a vslu 6le
A tim u goes through to the address o.
hin-
80 yer mind that, Baldy. YOu tell /
charge OF it Tharll be ali right.
xnere's documents In the box that / can't
| got along without just nOw-business OF the
S< nrm, you know-snd seeing you are Dshind
4 time, maybe you'd better not fool around
H any more gassing with me-"
Ag ne said this the muZZle OF the gun grad
~ ually lifted, until the Yawning barrels COW
Ss orod the driver, including two Cinnamon on
the back seat to shrink nervously toward the
y opposite side OF the stage. Baldy wrapped
3 the lines around the break, and bent over to
K drag out the box. He had some diitculty in
sxtractiDg the bulky, paddock concern from
s tho pile Of mail bags but he finally sue
ce6ded, and raising The box on the edge OF
the boot inquired
IL this the bzness, Fargo"
reckoD--throw II down. ana III make
IN Inspection, Yes that's what l'se look ing
1Or,p he added, after the box had fallen win
agingiing crash at his feet "Want receipt
No, guess moi, ;" said the driver. "I'I
$ tell Wells you took charge o the valu' ple
s package, an"
= That'lI.be all right: ::Baldy," interrupted
the man. 'Wells won't kick. Hope you'll
y make the trip all right, old man"
Anything else, Fsrgog'
Don't think OF anything else Just now.
q euees you caG drive right along"
No message TO inquiriI' friends ."
Nary message"
Be here when get back o''
Most likely won't be here"
Weli, 30 long, Fargo take care o your
30 long, Baldy I'll see you later"
And 30 they parted,
a BY this time the morning was well adj.
vnnced. The clouds hung low and the air was
moist and uncomfortable. Snowfiakes
oriiteo through the pines, and great masses
z y vaPor shifted along the slopes OF the dis
amt mountains. The highway man dragged
ne express box into the ravlne, where he
Wonld be Tree from observation and sheltered
y nom the growing inclemency OF the weather
Here he broke open the box with a hatchst
which he carried in his belt, and In a few
\ minutes he had transferred all the coir pack
a go 20 his pockets As he rose, the super.
ecfipfion OF a letter caught his eye-the letter
~ nail buried in the mud, where 1t had
peen nnng by the robber when he rified the
y So1 Ihe Impress OF the highwayman's
~ pVek was upon IL, but the add ress WAS clearly
v teg1ble. John X. Richman, Columbia, Tuol.
q umne Co, Cal.
Ane 5opper stood for moment as II spell.
y ED0nu, contemplating this letter as Robinson
luce contemplated the footprint IN the
- Then he picked II up ana rubbed the
.o rom the envelope upon his sleeve. He
ptth "a A.. FnI-